APAC airport association calls on Australia to reinvest aviation taxes

Airports Council International Asia-Pacific & Middle East (ACI APAC & MID), the trade body representing more than 600 airports across the region, has urged the Australian Government to consider the broader economic impact of increasing passenger taxes and levies on travel affordability, tourism competitiveness, and connectivity, and to ensure revenue collected is reinvested into the aviation system to enhance productivity. The Australian Government’s decision to increase the Passenger Movement Charge (PMC) to AUD 80 per outbound international passenger, effective 1 January 2027, presents an important opportunity to direct additional revenue toward border modernisation and passenger experience improvements in line with neighbouring airports across the region, such as Thailand, Indonesia and Singapore. ACI APAC & MID notes that only around half of PMC revenue is currently directed toward border management purposes, and encourages the Government to consider the significant opportunity to reinvest these funds in digital and biometric border processing technologies that would reinforce Australia’s position as a world-class destination. Stefano Baronci Stefano Baronci, Director General of ACI Asia-Pacific & Middle East, said: “Every additional dollar imposed in the form of a tax or levy, matters. Aviation supports 600,000 jobs (including direct, indirect, induced and tourism catalytic) and contributes USD 68 billion to GDP in Australia alone. Governments must be very cautious about measures that make travel less affordable. “The fiscal benefit of a tax can be outweighed by the economic losses caused by suppressed demand and weakened connectivity. ACI APAC & MID encourages governments to carefully assess aviation-specific taxes against their broader economic consequences, particularly at a time when passengers and the industry continue to face elevated cost pressures from higher airfares, inflation, fuel volatility, supply chain constraints and geopolitical tensions.” ACI’s position is aligned with the long-standing policy framework of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), which calls on States to reduce, to the fullest practicable extent, and make plans to eliminate taxation on the sale or use of international air transport. ACI Asia-Pacific & Middle East recognises ‘green airports’ (PHOTO: ACI Asia-Pacific & Middle East) Airports Council International Asia-Pacific & Middle East (ACI APAC & MID) announced the results of the Green Airports Recognition (GAR2026), honouring 12 airports for their outstanding work in climate change adaptation. Marking its 10th edition, the milestone year attracted 33 submissions from across the region. The submissions strongly indicate that airports in Asia-Pacific & Middle East are now leading the way not only by cutting carbon emissions but also by preparing for climate impacts such as flooding, extreme weather, storm surges, and water scarcity. The theme for GAR 2026 is “Climate Change Adaptation”. Winning projects included raising critical electrical infrastructure above flood levels, installing heat-resistant runway materials, redesigning drainage systems for heavier rainfall, and securing alternative water supplies during droughts. These are the kind of forward-looking solutions that define a decade of achievement. The 12 airports were recognised under Platinum, Gold or Silver categories, spanning four annual passenger traffic segments. The Recognised Airports were announced during the ACI Asia-Pacific & Middle East Regional Assembly, Conference and Exhibition (RACE2026), held in Bangkok, Thailand. The recognised airports are: Over 40 million passengers per annum Hong Kong International Airport – Platinum Taoyuan International Airport – Gold King Abdulaziz International Airport – Silver Between 15-40 million passengers per annum Auckland International Airport – Platinum Melbourne Airport – Gold Kansai International Airport – Silver Between 5-15 million passengers per annum Kaohsiung International Airport – Platinum Cochin International Airport – Gold Jaipur International Airport – Silver Less than 5 million passengers per annum Nadi International Airport – Platinum Sunshine Coast Airport – Gold New Plymouth Airport – Silver The panel of judges included: Mr. Christopher Paling (Manchester Metropolitan University) Mr. Christopher Surgenor (GreenAir Online) Ms. Jennifer Desharnais (ACI World) Dr. Panagiotis Karamanos (Aviation Environmental Consultant) Mr. Stefano Baronci (ACI Asia-Pacific & Middle East) The Green Airports Recognition programme was established by ACI Asia-Pacific with the support of the ACI Asia-Pacific & Middle East Regional Council. The 2026 awards were presented at RACE2026 in Bangkok, marking ten years of sharing practical solutions and raising the bar on environmental resilience across the region. ACI Asia-Pacific & Middle East honours three safety winners (PHOTO: ACI Asia-Pacific & Middle East) Airports Council International (ACI) Asia-Pacific & Middle East announced the winners of the Safety Recognition Awards 2026 at its Regional Assembly, Conference & Exhibition in Bangkok, Thailand. The 2026 edition of the Awards continues to recognise airport operators’ efforts in promoting effective safety culture and safety management through innovative and cost-effective solutions. The theme of year is “Effective implementation of Runway Safety Team”. The recognised airports stood out for their innovative solutions to address operational challenges and demonstrate operational resilience. The winners are: Diamond: Kempegowda International Airport, Bangalore, India; Gold: Chubu Centrair International Airport, Nagoya, Japan; Silver: King Abdulaziz International Airport, Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The awards were based on submissions, with the winners selected by a distinguished panel of judges comprising the Regional Directors of ICAO APAC Office, ICAO MID Office, and ACI Asia-Pacific & Middle East. For Editorial Inquiries Contact: Editor Matt Driskill at [email protected] For Advertising Inquiries Contact: Head of Sales Sally Passey at [email protected]